Congress leaders on Wednesday alleged that police detained several party functionaries ahead of their planned visit to Delhi to participate in a protest at Jantar Mantar over issues concerning education.
District Congress president Santosh Beniwal claimed she was detained from her residence in Darba Kalan village early in the morning while preparing to leave for Delhi. She alleged that police surrounded her house and prevented her from joining the protest.
Speaking after her detention, Beniwal accused the government of stifling democratic voices. She said she was travelling to support students and raise issues concerning education and their rights. The government, she alleged, was trying to silence those speaking for the public.
In Dabwali, police also detained several Youth Congress leaders who were reportedly preparing to leave for Delhi late on Tuesday night. Congress leader Jagga Singh Brar alleged that police personnel reached his residence around midnight and detained councillor Samandeep Brar, former constituency president Shagan Brar, Bhupinder Singh Bunty, Vicky Bhati and other party workers.
Brar shared videos of the police action on social media, claiming that seven Congress workers were either detained or placed under house arrest. He said Congress MP Kumari Selja had been informed about the incident.
Meanwhile, the Jannayak Janta Party (JJP) and its student wing, INSO, staged a protest in Sirsa against the alleged lathi-charge on students and youths during the Jantar Mantar protest. Party leaders marched to the Mini Secretariat and submitted a memorandum, addressed to the Prime Minister, through the Deputy Commissioner.
JJP leaders and workers submit a memorandum to DC Shantanu Sharma on Wednesday.
JJP leaders, including district president Ashok Verma, national general secretary Radheshyam Sharma, youth in-charge Shantanu Godara, youth district president Rajindra Suthar and INSO district president Dheer Singh Gill, demanded a high-level inquiry into the incident, action against the policemen responsible, medical assistance and compensation for the injured, and safeguards to ensure peaceful protesters are not subjected to force in future.